Waldheim Criticizes Israel

July 6, 1976

UNITED NATIONS (Jul. 5)

The United Nations confirmed today that Secretary General Kurt Waldheim had described Israel’s rescue operation in Uganda as a violation of Ugandan sovereignty. But a UN spokesman strongly denied that Waldheim had characterized the action as “flagrant aggression.”

An account of Waldheim’s remarks to reporters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and in Cairo yesterday was telephoned to UN headquarters by a UN official accompanying the Secretary General. According to the account released here today. Waldheim was asked if he thought Israel had committed a violation of the national sovereignty of Uganda and replied that it was indeed the case. Waldheim added, according to the account; that the situation created by this incident was likely to have serious international repercussions, especially as far as Africa was concerned.

Asked about the UN role with regard to the release of the Air France hostages held at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Waldheim recalled that he had instructed his representative in Kampala, the Ugandan capital to lend every assistance to efforts to obtain the hostages release the account said. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the United Nations in New York told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, in response to a question today, that no request has been received for a Security Council meeting on the Israeli rescue raid in Uganda. Reports from Uganda had indicated that President Idi Amin was considering a call for a Security Council meeting to condemn Israel.